NEW SANTA'S FINDING IT'S A LOT MORE FUN TO GIVE THAN RECEIVE

The Morning CallTHE MORNING CALL

Robert Grohman of Bethlehem asked his friends not to give him any Christmas presents this year.

Instead, the 25-year-old manager of Valley Park East Apartments decided that, because his two children would be spending Christmas Day with his ex- wife, he would play Santa Claus. So he called the Salvation Army to "ask if they had a few families who needed gifts."

It turned out the agency knew of at least 32 children, 14 of them living at the 6th Street shelter, and four elderly families who needed presents of clothing, toys, food or Christmas trees.

"So I asked my friends and neighbors to give me gifts. Apparently, I have the ability to motivate people. I expected to get a few but this has really snowballed," said Grohman, who will don a red-and-white suit to deliver the gifts, with the help of some friends, on Christmas Eve.

A number of friends donated gifts and food, a toy company in Easton contributed 25 stuffed animals, a church opened up its pantry to donate food and Grohman is using part of his employee Christmas bonus to buy food and toys, he said.

In January, Grohman says he'll start planning for next Christmas. "I'd like to do the same thing I'm doing this year on a large-scale basis. I don't think 30 or 40 kids is enough," he said.

"There are too many kids out there who aren't getting toys this year because the economy is getting the best of their families."